Element of Freedom
by dancingRAINBOWS
Summary: On their way to the South Pole, Korra was living her nightmare and felt like nothing.


**A/N: hello all~ :') this isn't exactly my first fic here at FF, but it surely is my first fic in **_**English –**_**yup, English isn't my native language– as well as my first LoK fic; so, I'm a lil nervous right now hehe D: but! Don't be easy on me! :D if you are going to review, be honest and kick me hard on the butt if needed! I need to learn from my mistakes and if you point some out, it'll help me a lot :') this fic came to me out of nowhere while watching the finale for the hundredth time or something, and I just had to write it. Hope it's not that boring haha D: Anyways, it is set in between scenes of the S1: Endgame episode, before the scene when they are at the South Pole.**

**LoK **** Bryke**

**Enjoy~**

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"_Airbending is to let your mind and spirit be free, for air is the element of freedom._"

Shining brightly by the full moon's light, cerulean blue eyes stared unblinking at the starry night sky. It had been months ago when Tenzin told her those words and she had scoff at them back then; she scoffed at them now, too… but for an entirely different reason. Now, she laughed bitterly at the irony of it, at how destiny cruelly mocked her. The element of freedom… so she had to be _freed_ of the other elements so she can bend air? She hoped that wasn't a truthful assumption but she couldn't get rid of that thought quite easily. She had lost her connection to her other elements, giving room for the element that kept and made her frustrated with herself for the past months. She had to completely lose the connection with her other elements so air can freely stumble within her, an element she thought –or, actually, yelled– unnecessary when her frustration was at its peak. She _lost_ her connection to her other elements, so she can truly understand that being the Avatar wasn't all about fighting, just like her airbending master scolded at her those months ago. Yep, destiny was cruelly mocking her for sure.

Closing her eyes, Korra took a deep breath and let it out heavily as she tried very hard to hold back the tears that were desperately threatening on spilling out of her eyes. She won't cry, not yet. There was still hope, a glint of light at the end of that pitch black hole. Korra learned her healing skills from _her_ and she knew that if anyone can help her, it had to be _her_; and the reason why Korra was currently on a United Forces' ship for three days, with its sole destiny to the South Pole.

Before embarking, Commander Bumi had sent a telegraph to the Order of the White Lotus that still resided at the Southern Water Tribe Compound, informing them of their arrival as well as the misfortune that fell on the Avatar. No word was necessary for the sentries to do the obvious and report the news to the Avatar's parents, as well as his mother. As many had proclaimed _her_ to be the best healer in the world, Korra also knew that Master Katara was also a bloodbender. Even if the master waterbender didn't -and wouldn't- master that bending, and more likely didn't practice it for most of her life, as well as stating it as prohibited at some time in her youth, Korra felt in the pit of her stomach a tingle of hope that Master Katara could heal her, restoring back her bending.

However, that spark of hope was getting surrounded and obscured by doubt and despair as each day passed by. Korra had that terrible feeling of hopelessness that was eating her from inside out. Even if everyone around her, all the people she cared for, was telling her positive endearments to lift her spirits for the past few days –in which she was very thankful-, it didn't do much to increase that speck of light that was buried deep inside her. It was useless, she thought, that as much as she wanted to believe that she could get her bending back with Master Katara's help, she didn't let herself believe. It was horrible feeling like that, all helpless _and_ hopeless. For the first time in her life, Korra felt like _nothing_. Just like the Amon in her nightmares had told her, however, the worst part was that this wasn't another of her nightmares; it was a nightmare that came true and she felt worse, empty.

Korra let out another heavy breath and covered her face with her hands. All those tumultuous feelings and thoughts made her restless, having only slept four or five hours for the past three days of the voyage. She hated feeling like this; it wasn't like her to feel like this, she was the Avatar for crying out loud! Yet again, she was only human… and that thought made her to growl in annoyance. Dropping her hands back onto the railing of the ship, Korra stared back up at the starry sky, looking how a thin layered cloud began to slightly cover the moon. She looked intently at it for a while until the cloud dissipated completely, leaving the bright moon shining down at her again. She knew that the moon was the source of waterbending and it was stronger with a full moon. However, Korra couldn't feel that connection with the moon like she had felt her entire life. Something was missing inside of her and she felt more broken and empty than before. That desperation had had made her to leave her appointed room inside the ship sometime earlier –she had lost the track of time by now–, go outside to the deck, and do something she didn't deem necessary since the moment she knew she was the Avatar, she prayed to the Spirits.

Well, it was more of a one-sided conversation with Yue, the moon spirit, than a prayer or meditation. The small talk had had made her feel slightly better, the ocean wind blowing softly on her face as if Yue's hand was kindly caressing her cheek, reassuring her that everything was going to be alright. Now, however, while her grip on the deck's railing was intensifying, Korra lost that small connection she had with Yue as another wave of hopelessness invaded her again. Man, she truly was terrible connecting with her spiritual side.

She was so stupid for not seeing it before though, Korra thought, as her stubborn self didn't let Tenzin's teachings to sink in –only paying more attention when he was instructing the fighting stances and movements of airbending-. He had being right all along and Korra was just seeing it up until now. And in the end, she had to lose her bending to actually make an effort and connection with her spiritual self. Korra let out a frustrated groan as she pushed herself away from the railing. She was too restless to go back to bed and she needed to tire herself somehow, distract her mind even if it was just for the slightest moment. And training was always her solution. It hurt her to do so, though, since she can't train with her lost elements; however, her airbender in her was tingling and that was when she remembered something that Tenzin had told her a month ago.

"_Seeking spiritual enlightenment is the path of the airbender, you need to free yourself from worldly problems and concerns to achieve and master your skills."_

Letting out a soft sigh, Korra took her stance, slightly bent knees apart and outstretched palms. Without creating a single puff of air, she had had memorized and practiced all the moves and now was a perfect moment to execute those moves; now, that she could airbend... Even if she had airbent Amon off, it had been purely offensive, throwing punches and kicks like a firebender, but instead of fire, it was air that came out. That had been a moment of desperation, now she could actually airbend how it should be and maybe, just maybe… she could connect more with her spiritual self, just like Tenzin had taught her.

"_The key is to be like the leaf, flow with the move of the gates."_

Korra closed her eyes. As she took a step forward, she imagined the spinning gates before her. She sidestepped skillfully and gracefully, dodging perfectly the imaginary gates.

"_Don't force your way though!"_

"_Dance! Dance like the wind."_

"_Be the leaf."_

Korra smiled genuinely, yet briefly, for the first time in days as she heard in her mind the airbending kids' encouraging words, said all those months ago in her first airbending lesson. She dynamically and smoothly moved throughout the deck, being the only person occupying it at three in the morning, performing spiral moves to maneuver through the imaginary spinning gates. Suddenly, Korra stopped her footwork movements and made swift, circular moves with her arms before stretching them in front of her as a strong air blast shot out from her wide open hands. She somersaulted to one side before swiping her left leg, sending a crescent-shaped solidified air across the deck and later back flipping while circling her arms again, creating a kind of an air shield. Back on her feet, she continued to shift her them and circle walk in an evasive manner.

Engrossed into her self-training, Korra continued maneuvering gracefully; completely ignoring the fact that she wasn't alone on deck anymore. Someone, just as restless as herself, was observing her from behind the wall of the main cabin. Tired golden eyes watched the Avatar from afar as she skillfully airbent. Mako was mystified on how someone as tough as nails could be, at the same time, so graceful and elegant. Yet again, this's Korra we're talking about, she's always full of surprises… and, in his terms, one of the many reason why she was so amazing. His eyes were glued on her, only blinking out of necessity. He watched her movements, how her body arched and curved before stretching accompanied by blasts of air out of her limbs. He was transfixed, mesmerized on how breathtakingly beautiful she looked performing those moves below the moon light that he had almost, _almost_ forgot how broken she really was.

But how could someone forget something like that? The fierce, stubborn girl with the proud stance, hands on hips, chin up high, and a cocky smirk on her face was now a crestfallen mess of emotions, with gloomy, downcast eyes and a permanent frown on her features. And it was tearing him inside watching her like that. She had been like that for the past days since Amon took her bending, but he had noticed that that hopeless, defeated look worsen three days ago, when they started their voyage to the South Pole. Since the time they both saw Noatak escaping through Yue Bay with waterbending propulsion, from the broken window of the Pro-bending Arena, up until now Mako had tried to reassure Korra that everything was going to be okay. It was heartbreaking to see her like that and he knew that Korra probably hated herself for feeling like that.

Korra hasn't spoken much to anyone in the past week, and even with everyone else's –his included- words of encouragement, she wasn't getting any better. Mako just hoped and wished that, somehow, in the South Pole everything could change for the better, for her wellbeing… just for her to _be_ better. He was that desperate.

Mako ran his fingers through his messy hair while letting out a frustrated sigh. When will they arrive to the South Pole? This was just too much. Too long has Korra been suffering and he felt so powerless about it all. He had tried to have a serious talk with her several times, but she always said that she was "fine", dodged his worried eyes, or downright ignored him. _This _Korra was exasperating him and he was desperate to bring the old Korra back, _his_ Korra. He wanted back the tough, impatient, headstrong, sarcastic, fun, selfless, caring, passionate, beautiful, and simply amazing Korra that he knew so well, and not this hopeless mess of a girl that she was now. He tried to help her but she was turning her back on him, on everyone, and it infuriated him.

An irritated and loud snarl that came from the Water Tribe girl's direction brought back Mako from his reverie. Giving his attention back to Korra, Mako noticed that she wasn't airbending anymore but doing different combat movements. In contrast to the suave and circular moves, these ones were more quick and aggressive punches and kicks. She was performing characteristic movements to firebend but nothing came out, not even a single spark. Korra snarled again as she changed her stance and did some fluidly accurate movements -in which Mako recognized as waterbending moves- but, again, nothing happened. Korra let out an exasperated cry before she fell on her knees and buried her face on her hands.

Mako's heart broke.

Why was she doing that to herself? A part of him had the overwhelming urge to rush to her and wrap his arms around her, as if trying to take away that frustrated sadness from her; however, the other part of him rooted him on that spot, feeling that she wanted to be left alone. His inner turmoil didn't let him to sense that another presence was close to him, hiding in the shadows.

"I think, you should go and talk to her."

A hushed, soft voice said from behind Mako, starting him out of his senses. Swiftly turning around in a fighting stance, prepared to attack the intruder, Mako relaxed completely his stance when he saw who the one that spoke out of nowhere was. "Asami…," he breathed out in a low voice. How long had she been out there? No, more like, how long had she been _there_ with him and without him noticing? He let a small frown form on his brow as he looked down at those jade green eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Asami countered with the same hushed voice. Not getting the Avatar's attention, at the moment, was best. Mako's frown deepened as he looked away from those penetrating green eyes. "I was restless," he poorly replied in a rushed mumble but Asami caught perfectly what he said… and meant. They stood in silence for a minute, with only the soft sound of the tide breaking on the ship's walls. "I was restless too," Asami finally answered, eyes searching Mako's. "We all are…," she added, referring not only at them both and Korra, but at Bolin, Tenzin, Lin, Pema, and the kids as well. And she was pretty sure that, as soon as they got the news, Korra's parents were also quite restless. Asami let out an inaudible sigh as her eyes fell on the fallen Avatar, still a cocoon on her knees. And silence plagued over the two again.

It felt like an eternity when Mako broke the silence with a sigh of his own. He rubbed some nervousness out of his neck as he looked back at Asami before he spoke. "Somehow I have this feeling that, before I can go to her, _we_ should talk first." Asami had the same feeling, but she already knew how it will end... ever since Mako's nerve-racking self emerged at the time Councilman Tarrlok took Korra, Asami knew how it would end. She folded her arms across her chest as she looked back at the tall firebender, straight into those golden eyes at made her heartbeat to increase tenfold. "Very well," she whispered and signaled him to start with a nod.

Mako had to finish this, he had to. Even though they "talked" at the Underground Hideout before they went for Amon, about a week ago, he knew it wasn't enough. If he moved forward –with Korra or not-, he knew that he would keep hurting Asami if they don't finish it in good terms… better ones than the few exchanged words and lame apology he said to Asami at that Hideout. However, Mako didn't know how to start. He felt nervousness running up his spine, numbing his lips shut. He noticed Asami quirked an eyebrow up, waiting for him.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Mako unconsciously grabbed the end of his red scarf –as if for support- before he began, "I _am_ truly sorry, Asami. I really care about you, thinking that everything was okay between us when it wasn't, and I didn't realize that I'd been hurting you all this time…" Mako didn't leave Asami's eyes as he spoke, letting himself suffer as he saw her eyes glistened with hurt and grief. He took another breath before he continued, "I know that I told you that I didn't have feelings for Korra; I was in a kind of denial, I guess, since I was with you and I didn't want to mess things up between us. I was really confused since I really liked you, Asami, but Korra…" Now Mako couldn't looked at those pale green eyes with grieving emotions clouding them, and looked away, tightening his grip on his scarf, the only thing preventing him from falling apart. Silence fell on them again.

Still filled with sadness, Asami's eyes softened as he observed Mako's struggles. It had been difficult for her to admit it and, actually, accept it. She liked Korra too; she was a splendid person, inside and out, and Asami just couldn't get mad at her –and if you think about it, it wasn't exactly Korra's fault to begin with–… or at Mako's choice. Of course, she was mad him at the fact that Mako didn't put himself together and kept messing with hers and Korra's feelings for months. It would be something that would take time for her to forgive him, but she care for him too much to just walk away from his life; she didn't want to lose her friendship with him as well. So she accepted the reality of this whole messy situation and it was best, for the three of them, to let him go.

Asami took a step forward and softly placed a hand on his cheek, slightly startling him and made him to look back at her. She gave him a tiny, sad smile, "You… don't just like Korra… you love her, don't you?" Asami broke the heavy silence between them. Even though she already knew the answer, hearing it directly from him would make Asami to finally step back. She cared about him enough that, if it hurt her, she just really wanted to see him happy with the one who would _really_ make him happy.

Mako frowned slightly but didn't take his eyes from hers. He wasn't confused anymore. "Yes," without a hint of hesitation, he replied in a low, yet confident, voice. And to his surprise, Mako saw Asami's gentle smile grew a little. It was still a sad smile but there was something more… understanding? He didn't know, but it made his nerves to fade a little. Asami caressed his cheek softly as she looked into his golden eyes and, surprisingly, she didn't feel that flip in her stomach every time she looked at those eyes of his. That's when she knew it… she can let him go without hard feelings.

Asami lowered her hand from his cheek, took a step away from him, and looked back at the middle of the moon lit deck, where the Avatar was still hunched. A new wave of heartbreaking feeling invaded her as her sight didn't leave the desolated figure in the middle of the deck, a few feet away from them. It was really hard to watch Korra on that state; it wasn't like her at all. She needed to finish this so Mako could go to Korra. Asami let out a soft sigh before he looked back at Mako, who was also watching at the downed Avatar. His face was unreadable, stoic, but she knew better, he was breaking in the inside and with the urge to go to her but couldn't; they weren't finished.

"Mako, I know it's a waste for me to say this since now it too late for it, but I really wished you could have figured your true feelings out before even starting dating me." Mako looked back down at Asami, the frown on his face deepening slightly. It wasn't an angry frown though, Asami noticed, it was more an apologetic-like one. "You were hurting Korra all along and in the last few weeks, you were hurting me… it's simply not right, Mako. But now that you know your true feelings, all that's happened is in the past and we need to move on. As I told you before, I care about you too, Mako, and I don't want for our friendship be severed because of this mess… so I just hope, that we could still be friends," Asami smiled at him again, sad but hopeful.

Mako's face visibly relaxed and a corner of his lips lifted slightly. "I wouldn't want it any other way; our friendship means a lot to me, Asami." Mako took a step forward and gave her a light hug. "I'm truly sorry… and thank you," he whispered. He felt his heart filled with gratefulness at her understanding. He didn't think things would end up this well, but on a second thought, he somehow saw it ending this well. This was Asami, she was that great of a person, and he was really thankful for have a friend like her.

"Okay now," Asami said as she lightly pushed him back. "You shouldn't be here… Go to her, she _needs_ you more." She gave him an encouraging smile as she stepped back, turned over her heel and walked away, towards the stairs of the cabin to where the rooms were. Mako stared after her and waited until she disappeared into the shadows, down the stairs, before he looked back at Korra. He didn't know for how long they talked, but he knew that it was a long time for someone like Korra to be in the same position, unmoving and inconsolable. He couldn't take it anymore.

She wouldn't cry, not yet; nevertheless, the tears where silently falling down her cheeks without her consent. And that irked her. Korra angrily wiped away the tears from her face with the back of her hands and huffed before she heard light footsteps getting closer to her. In the puddle of mixed emotions that she was in, without thinking, Korra instinctively swiped her arm at the direction of the footsteps, sending a powerful blast of air and sending whoever was stalking her to fly back. Korra's eyes widen in alarm when she recognized the 'oomph' sound the person made when his back collided with the deck's metal railing. "Mako?" She was on her feet in second and rushed towards him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you," Korra said worriedly as she knelt beside him, and helped him sitting back up. "It's okay," _I kind of deserved it_, he thought. "I should've announced myself or something; I didn't mean to startle you." He smiled fondly at her before he lifted one eyebrow. "Well, your airbending isn't that bad, Miss Avatar; you have learned well," he said in a mockery way, but he was actually amazed by her bending skills. As cruel as it might sound, but he was glad that it was air and not fire that she shot at him, as it had always been her element of choice for fast defense. With that raw strength that she used to unleash her element, he preferred the building bruise on his back when he hit the railing than getting burnt down to ashes.

Korra smiled faintly at his teasing, but it vanished as soon as it appeared. She sat next to him and averted her gaze away from him. Was he watching her all this time? Watching her crumbling like that… the thought just made her angry. She didn't want for anyone to see her breaking like that, especially him. "You creep… how- how dare you… how dare you stand there, watching me like- like a creep!" she lamely grumbled in a low voice, trying to put her frustration into words but failing miserably. She didn't met his eyes when she spoke, avoiding his gaze was better or else, she could just fall apart staring those tantalizing gold.

"Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry… but listen, Korra…" Mako said in a soft, inviting voice. He placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to get her attention, but she didn't stir and kept her eyes away from him. "You've been avoiding me, Korra, all of us. Why? It's not healthy for you to be concealing yourself like that. Everyone is worried about you, _I'm _worried about you. We just want to help you, but you don't let us. Please, let us help you… let _me_ help you," he emphasize himself, gripping harder on her shoulder, but not hard enough to hurt her; that was the least thing he wanted to do to her, hurting her more than he already had. He felt her trembling under his fingers and he just couldn't take it anymore. He pulled her into his arms, embracing her in a hug. He heard her gasping in surprise for the suddenness of the hug, but he didn't care, even if it was awkward or not the right time to do such a thing; he was just desperate to comfort her.

"M-Mako…" Korra breathed out and felt him embracing her more tightly. The warmth of the hug felt so good to her, it was almost soothing, as if she needed something like that for a long time. It made her loosen up into his embrace, much to Mako's delight. "Just let me, Korra. And you'll see that everything is going to be alright in the end." Maybe, he should just stay quiet and let the hug do the talking because, as soon as he said those last few words, Korra's body tensed again before she pushed him away, breaking the hug. She was looking at him now, that was a start, but that deep frown on her face made him to sink and regret his words even if he didn't know what was so wrong about them.

"What if it doesn't, Mako? What if nothing happens and nothing is alright in the end? What if I don't get my bending back? Nothing would be alright and I won't be the Avatar anymore!" Korra was raising her voice, but not enough to an actual yell. She was frustrated and impatient from the uncertainty, and Mako telling her that everything could be alright wasn't helping her at all. "The Avatar? Really, Korra? That's all your troubled mind is thinking about? Korra, Avatar or not, it doesn't matter, you are still you. Bending the elements or not won't change who you are. You - - -," Mako was cut short when Korra simply snapped.

"'Doesn't matter'?" Now she was yelling. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; so much for helping, comforting words. "Mako, the Avatar is supposed to master all four elements and bring balance to the world; _that_ is my duty, my responsibility! How am I supposed to bring balance to the world if I can't bend the elements, if I can't bring balance to myself?" Realization struck Korra that even she was taken aback by her own words. She noticed that she was practically standing, towering over him, her anger getting the better of her. No wonder she couldn't bring balance to herself. Trying to control her emotions, she let out a deep sigh as she sat back down again.

"You don't understand this feeling, Mako… this emptiness. Even if the Spirits are balancing the world, the world _also_ needs its Avatar. And an unbalanced Avatar is an unbalanced world, its chaos. That's why Amon got his way for a long time; I was so disconnected with my spiritual self that I couldn't possibly bring myself to stop him earlier. I was scared and frustrated… and now that he took my bending I feel so helpless. But when I saw him about to take your bending, I… I couldn't bear the thought of you going for the same path, I had to do something; I had to protect you." Korra's voice was soft now, scared even that she was saying aloud everything that's been bottling inside her. She inhaled a trembling breath as she looked down at her lap.

Truly, Korra was such a selfless person, he clearly understood now. If you didn't know her as well as Mako did, many would think her selfish with all her rambling about losing her bending, about she being the Avatar, about her her her; but deep down, Mako now knew, that all that rambling was because she was worried about everyone else, on what would they do without her. She might say that it was her duty and responsibility, but he knew better, it was just who she was -it was something that came natural to her- and not because of some job she was destined to fulfill since birth. She'd always put the world before her, and the thought of being helpless was destroying her. And it wasn't fair. So, she was tired -Mako could see that much-, tired of feeling the way she was feeling. Too many emotions were kicking her into a miserable pulp, and he needed to do something. His mouth slipped once. He won't do it again. He calculated well his words and hope that they could help a little to ease the distressed girl in front of him.

"Korra, listen," Mako said in a serene voice, and waited until her bright cerulean eyes met his. He wanted to tell her that he was there for her, that when Tarrlok took her he was mortified to the idea of never seen her again… to tell her that he loves her, but he knew that wasn't the time. He didn't know when would be the right time to tell her, but now wasn't that time. For everything that she's been going through right now, another stumbling emotion would just make her worse. So he kept those three words to himself, for now.

"I… understand now what you are saying about your bending and all, but that is no excuse to close yourself like that. You are just hurting yourself more and I... I can't stand watching you like this," he waved his hand up and down, gesturing her. Not shifting her eyes away from his calming gaze, Korra bit her lower lip as if trying to stop its intense quivering. "I understand now what you are saying, but it is _you_ who need to understand what I am saying right now. You think all this is your burden and you have to carry it on your own, but no, Korra, it isn't. I know it is your bending that was… taken, but let us ease you that pain. It's not like you to be sulking all around; I thought I was the one with the 'brooding bender' role." Still nibbling her lower lip, Korra let show the tiniest of smiles. And Mako smiled warmly at her effort. He placed softly a gloved hand on her cheek and felt as she leaned slightly into his touch.

"You'll see, Korra, that everything will be alright. Once we arrive to the South Pole, you'll have your bending back in a snap. You'll be back kicking butt in no time! I volunteer if I need to," Korra's smiled widen a little and let out an amused snort as she looked back down at her lap. "You don't have to volunteer, I'll just do it without your consent," Korra mumbled to herself in a low voice, though Mako still caught it, wincing in an exaggerated manner. "But," Korra's smile fell instantly as she looked back up at Mako through her eyelashes. "What if Master Katara isn't able to return my bending? I'll be nothing- - -""Don't say that," Mako interrupted her with a firm voice. He slid his hand from her cheek, placing it down on her shoulder and gripped it lightly, "don't you say that."

He noticed that those light moments of her smiling face could be broken very easily, so he cut her thought; he didn't want her back into her hopeless mood. He let out a sigh before he slowly placed his forehead on hers, watching her as she widen her eyes by the sudden gesture, her cheeks tinted a light pink contrasting her dark skin. "Don't lose hope _if_ Master Katara can't bring your bending. Remember, _you are Korra_. _You_ are amazing and, sooner or later, _you_ will know what to do if you believe you can do it. And I'm completely sure that you can do it." With that, Mako leaned away and lifted the hand that was on her shoulder to tenderly wipe a single tear that slid down Korra's cheek.

Mako adjusted himself to have the railing of the deck on his back and leaned against it. He let out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes. Spirits, he was tired. He heard a shuffling near him and the body warmth settling next to him. He opened one eye and glanced down to his left. He noticed that Korra sat against the railing too, next to him, hugging herself as if hesitating or something. In which a moment later, he knew why. Korra rested her head on his shoulder, and it made his heart to do a harsh somersault and felt a blush creeping from his neck up to his face.

With hearts racing and light blushes invading their faces, they welcomed the silence. Mako gave a quick side glance at the pretty Water Tribe girl beside him and saw that she was staring up at the night sky, straight into the full moon. Her cerulean eyes shone beautifully and brightly with the moon's light, but Mako noted something else, something _more_. He spotted a different glimmer in those deep blue eyes; he saw hope. And it just made him to smile wider and felt like a weight had just been taken from his shoulders. He had eased her pain, and it made him to close his eyes and sigh in relieve. He didn't feel that restless anymore.

Korra averted her gaze from the moon when she heard a sigh and looked at the firebender beside her. With eyes closed, he looked calm and… achieved? Anyway, just the sight sooth her and she snuggled a little more into his shoulder. She looked back at the bright full moon and she finally, and genuinely, smiled wide for the first time in weeks. Korra was finally feeling that the small light at the pit of the dark hole was increasing its size, rapidly. And all thanks to the man next to her. Korra smiled at Yue and she saw that Yue was smiling tenderly _and_ proudly back at her.

"Thank you, Mako…"

* * *

Remember the kiss behind the Pro-bending Arena? Well, she thought, forget it, trash it, and dispose it away. Korra was definitely counting _this_ kiss as her first, _real_ kiss; a kiss that actually meant something, not only for her but also for him. Everything happened so sudden that she didn't even registered all in her mind, especially not when she was sharing her heart at that precise moment. Korra had her bending back, successfully reached her spiritual enlightenment, and unlocked her Avatar State, plus –and most gratifying of all– they both confessed three magnificent words. They both confessed the feelings that were impatiently trying to get out. And the kiss was enough prove for their spoken feelings.

The kiss was soft and tender, but full of love and passion. Neither wanted to pull back, instead, they pressed impossibly closer into one another and deepened the kiss. However, the lack of air made them to break the kiss, but not their closeness. They pressed together their foreheads, lightly panting for air, noses brushing, lips just centimeters apart. They looked into each other's eyes, cerulean searching and finding only love and hopefulness into those molten gold. He smiled wide and let out an amused huff.

"I wonder if I should say 'I told you so'," Mako whispered, teasingly. Korra frowned yet smiled too as she swatted the back of his head with her hand. "If you don't want me to sizzle you into ashes, or drown you to death, or crush you into the center of the earth, or blow you away into that precipice, or all four together, then I suggest you to better keep you pretty mouth shut," Korra mockingly threatened and heard Mako swallowing hard, letting out a sheepish laugh. "I'll shut up then," he said as he unconsciously leaned his lips towards her. "Good boy…" Korra whispered back as she met his lips with hers half way.

Spirits, even if everything happened so sudden, Korra now understood what her airbending master really meant with his teachings. And she finally let her mind and spirit –and now her heart– be free.

_-Fin-_

**-dR**


End file.
